Saint Joseph Catholic Church

Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, the Substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State, was present in Washington for the cardinal’s birthday party on January 30 and read aloud the papal telegram. Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City, the president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, was also present at the gathering.

Cardinal Pierre was appointed apostolic nuncio to the United States in 2016. He was previously apostolic nuncio to Uganda (1999-2007) and Mexico (2007-2016).

Warning of the risk of chaos and violence, the bishops of Cuba called for “structural, social, economic, and political changes” in the Caribbean nation, including “respect for the dignity and exercise of freedom of every human being.”

“These beautiful images we are contemplating today recall the greatness of the vocation to which God calls us, namely, the universal vocation to holiness,” Pope Leo continued. “I encourage you, with God’s grace, to be witnesses and examples of that holiness in today’s world. For that is God’s will: our own sanctification.”

The event took place on the afternoon of January 31, with the Peruvian bishops, the ambassador of Peru to the Holy See, and the president of the Governorate of Vatican City State in attendance.

Addressing young people involved in a political innovation hackathon associated with the Focolare Movement, Pope Leo XIV reflected on peace as “a gift, a covenant and a promise” and said that “there can be no peace while humanity wages war against itself.”

February 2, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, is also the 30th World Day for Consecrated Life, a commemoration instituted by Pope St. John Paul II in 1997.

Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica this evening (booklet, video) and called upon consecrated men and women “to be prophets—messengers who announce the presence of the Lord and prepare the way for him.”

The superior general of the Society of Saint Pius X announced today that the Society’s bishops will consecrate new bishops on July 1.

Pope Leo XIV appointed Bishop Manuel Nin Güell, OSB, as apostolic exarch of the Territorial Abbacy of Saint Mary of Grottaferrata in Italy.

“We cannot support legislation that expands or sustains enforcement practices without adequately addressing their consequences for families and communities,” the bishops and other signatories said. A budget “that prioritizes detention and removal—while lacking strong safeguards for family unity, due process, and accountability—risks entrenching harm rather than promoting justice or public safety.”